reserved his
balance and a whole skin as by a miracle--"but, you know, I quite forgot
to ask you about the book. And, as that was really our main object
in----"

The roar of a wild beast cut short the speaker.

Bellowing incoherently, trembling with passion, his mouth working, his
countenance distorted with rage, Vandy shook his fist at his tormentor
in a fit of ungovernable fury.

"Get out of it!" he yelled. "Get out of it! I won't have this intrusion.
It's monstrous. I won't stand it. I tell you----"

"Hush, Vandy, hush!" implored his sisters in agonized tones.

Berry raised his eyebrows.

"Really," he said slowly, "anybody would think that you had something to
hide."

Then he turned on his heel.

I was about to follow his example, when my cousin's bloodshot eye
perceived that Nobby was once more Innocently investigating the scene of
his labour. With a choking cry our host sprang forward and raised the
pick....

Unaware of his peril, the dog snuffed on.

One of the women screamed....

Desperately I flung myself forward.

The pick was falling as I struck it aside. Viciously it jabbed its way
into the earth.

For a long time Vandy and I faced one another, breathing heavily. I
watched the blood fading out of the fellow's cheeks. At length--

"Be thankful," said I, "that I was in time. Otherwise----"

I hesitated, and Vandy took a step backwards and put a hand to his
throat.

"Exactly," I said.

Then I plucked the pick from the ground, stepped a few paces apart, and,
taking the implement with both hands, spun round and threw it from me as
if it had been a hammer.

It sailed over some lime trees and crashed out of sight into some
foliage.

Then I called the terrier and strode past my brother-in-law in the
direction of the postern.

Berry fell in behind and followed me without a word.

* * * * *

"But why," said I, "shouldn't you tell me the day of your birth? I'm not
asking the year."

"1895," said Adele.

I sighed.

"Why," she inquired, "do you want to know?"

"So that I can observe the festival as it deserves. Spend the day at
Margate, or go to a cinema, or something. I might even wear a false
nose. You never know. It's an important date in my calendar."

"How many people have you said that to?"

I laughed bitterly.

"If I told you the truth," I said, "you wouldn't believe me."

There was a museful silence.

It was three days and more since Berry